The Mummers Parade is held each New Year’s Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The costumed celebrants loudly parading through the city in satirical costumes traces back to mid-17th-century roots it is believed to be the oldest folk festival in the United States.

But this year the parade was not without controversy this year with a gay-bashing incident and critics leveling accusations of racism and homophobia over some of the acts.

John Holtz says he was walking his dog when two mummers in red, white, and blue outfits began shouting homophobic slurs. “I turned over to the guy just to kind of say, ‘cool your jets, buddy.’ His buddy jumped in and clocks me in the face,” Holtz said.

Another controversial act during the march was Finnegan’s NYB’s ‘Finnegan Goes for the Gold’ featuring Bruce Jenner turning into Caitlyn Jenner as a Wheaties box was held side by side with a Froot Loops box. And a costumed Caitlyn Jenner marching alongside. While a marcher yelled, “Fuck the gays, Fuck the gays.”

Finnegans released a tweet saying it cannot be responsible for the actions of a few members

Rich Porco, the President of the Comics Division, tells Action News there was “no intent to harm or degrade anyone with the performances. This sort of satire has been around for 116 years.”

Will Kohler is a noted LGBT historian, journalist and owner of Back2Stonewall.com. A longtime gay activist, Will fought on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic with ACT-UP and continues fighting today for LGBT acceptance and full equality. Will’s work has been referenced in notable media venues as MSNBC and BBC News, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Hollywood Reporter, and Raw Story,